Quintron DICES VoIP Supports First ULA Mission

Santa Maria, CA - Quintron Systems, Inc., a leader in advanced interoperable voice systems and physical access control/intrusion detection systems, announces successful support of the first launch operation for its DICES VoIP system for United Launch Alliance (ULA). The Atlas V has lifted off from Space Launch Complex-3 (SLC-3) at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) in California. This launch successfully placed into orbit the 19th satellite in the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP-19).

The DMSP satellite family has provided important weather data for 50 years in support of United States and Allied defense missions. This DMSP satellite utilizes both visible and infrared light to examine and forecast clouds, rain, snow, fire, and other environmental conditions on a continuous basis. The polar orbit utilized by this satellite group provides nearly complete global coverage up to twice per day.

United Launch Alliance was formed in 2006 and brought together the nation’s most reliable rockets – the Atlas V and Delta IV. Legacy DICES mission voice equipment supported both programs starting in 2001. As part of a competitive bid process, the latest DICES VoIP mission switch was selected by ULA in April 2013 to replace the legacy systems. Included in this award was the design of three new user keysets for direct form-fit replacement of legacy equipment along with numerous new software features to correctly adapt to the ULA methods.

An expedited design-build process concluded with successful Factory Acceptance Test of the first two systems (Atlas and Delta for VAFB) in October 2013 followed by site installation and start-up testing for both systems through November-December. The Atlas DICES VoIP system supported initial launch support operations starting with Wet Dress Rehearsal in March prior to this successful active launch support. The VAFB Atlas system includes 144 of the 2RU keyset and 45 of the Thin Client designs shown. Total production for all four launch sites is approximately 550 keysets.

“Quintron has supported launch operations at VAFB for over forty years and this mission with our newest product, DICES VoIP, represents a real milestone in this proud history,” said David Wilhite, president and chief operating officer at Quintron, “We are pleased to have had the trust in our products and services from United Launch Alliance and their predecessor parent companies for many years and we will continue to work hard to carry on that legacy for them and all our other significant customers around the world.”

The remaining two DICES VoIP systems that will support Atlas and Delta launch operations at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCFAS) will undergo Factory Acceptance in early April and will be shipped for site installation at CCAS to be completed during May and June.

“We are pleased to partner with Quintron on this new launch support system,” said Mark Dowhan, vice president of Launch Operations for ULA. “We appreciate Quintron’s diligence in understanding our unique requirements and ensuring the new systems were installed in a professional and timely manner.”